Upset Over Craigslist Ads

misstrouble

I'm so glad that he didn't have to go thru all that - if Sam had ever been put in a shelter it would have killed him - physcologicly, if not physically.

I really does kill them psychologically. The environment is just depressing. I think he knew he was about to get put down. Apollo was catatonic- literally no emotion. Our shipper picked him up and said he didn't appear happy, excited, scared, nervous....he was just there. He didn't eat, drink, or potty for the entire 18+ hour drive (our shipper stopped several times for potty and food breaks). Phsically...his skin was gross. It was so flaky- the flakes were more like clumps. He had fleas and ticks, and he was thin. His teeth were brown, his breath was terrible, and he had filthy, smelly ears.

He slept in bed with me (after a trip to the groomers to get cleaned up!) the first months we had him. I've never met a more snuggly dog. He just wanted to be loved. He picked up basic manners extremely quickly and seemed so grateful for everything we gave him.

Now? Oh, he's just plain spoiled and expects to be the center of attention, to get new toys often, to get the *good* treats, for us to make room for him in bed so he can streeeeetch out...lol!

But, Apollo is a fairly stable dog all-in-all right?

Sam's not - we're talking about the dog that barks his fool head off in Petsmart and is just all in all scared. He's not overly confident, he doesn't push many boundarys. He's so easy-going at times. But I just don't think he would have faired well in that sort of enviroment. . . . . maybe it's just me trying to be protective of him - IDK...

That gas chamber post may have been the saddest, most sickening thing I've ever read.  I had NO idea that there were places that used gas chambers (I live in a state where animals will stay in shelters for YEARS if that's what it takes, I'm not sure if we are officially "no kill" or just "low kill";).   So so sad. 

Yea - most of NC is still 'high- to med- kill' if they're funded by the state. If they're funded by the public they're no-kill. Our shelter has gone from giving strays and owner turn-ins 3 days to be adopted to 14. Yay! They have a much larger place now, and can hadle more dogs. It's not no-kill - but it is a heck of a lot more dogs that get a better chance.

I just e-mailed a women who was looking for a medium to large sized dog or pup. I told her that a shelter would have a med. - large sized dog or puupy that needed a home. And I enformed her of how many will be put down due to lack of a home. Maybe it worked....hopefully she'll re-think it and go for a shelter dog.....

misstrouble

I just e-mailed a women who was looking for a medium to large sized dog or pup. I told her that a shelter would have a med. - large sized dog or puupy that needed a home. And I enformed her of how many will be put down due to lack of a home. Maybe it worked....hopefully she'll re-think it and go for a shelter dog.....

  Why use the guilt to try to push someone to adopt a dog? That is exactly what the gas chamber posting is meant to do as well. I'm all for people adopting dogs if that is what they want but I get so tired of the constant push of the "adoption is the only way" attitude.

  Most dogs in shelters and pounds are not put down for a lack of home but rather a lack of efforts and a lack of willingness to change. Many county pounds IME don't have a good adoption program - they aren't open hours which encourage people to stop in and look at dogs, they don't promote their dogs and they hold dogs very short periods. Just because a dog can't find a home in 3 - 14 days doesn't mean a home isn't out there for them. Some county pounds euthanize owner turn ins as soon as they come in because they aren't required by law to hold them. Certainly those dogs aren't PTS because there is no home for them - they weren't even given a chance for a home to find them.

 This is an article well worth reading (and wrote by a very experienced rescue person): http://nathanwinograd.blogspot.com/2008/05/myth-of-pet-overpopulation.html

 Nathan is very well known for his position, but the decisions to euth healthy dogs are often made on the basis of budgetary considerations.  I personally know ACO's who go to great lengths not to do it, but the cities and towns they work in only make financial arrangements to care for the dogs for a certain number of days.  So, the ACO's are out begging for food, supplies, etc., and they can't do anything about space - it's limited, too. All in all, the ones around here are awesome at avoiding euthanizing healthy dogs, but, often, the only respite the dog gets is to be sent off to another shelter where he may not be so lucky.  My hound was kept in a local pound for five months because the ACO there felt he was too sweet to snuff.  Then, he got a foster home and was turned back to the shelter when the foster mom got a new BF.  Only by extreme luck did we find him just days before he was to have gone to another kill shelter.  He is now a therapy dog.

misstrouble

But, Apollo is a fairly stable dog all-in-all right?

He really is. But, I think alot of that has to do with luck. I never met him, and didn't know too much about him besides what he looked like and what his previous owner told the shelter.

His first owner had him tied to a tree out back 24/7 since he was a puppy....which is where I think his leash reactiveness is from (which is pretty much gone). I quite my old job workin in a office for stock holders to become a dog walker. I needed a job where he could get a ton of interaction w/ other dogs, a ton of exercise, and he would be supervised by me. I know that sounds extreme and I know 99% of people can't do that. Nothing really phases him....fireworks, guns, crowds, isn't not a problem. He loves people and especially kids. My only concern is with tiny toy dogs.

spiritdogs

 Nathan is very well known for his position, but the decisions to euth healthy dogs are often made on the basis of budgetary considerations.  I personally know ACO's who go to great lengths not to do it, but the cities and towns they work in only make financial arrangements to care for the dogs for a certain number of days.  So, the ACO's are out begging for food, supplies, etc., and they can't do anything about space - it's limited, too. All in all, the ones around here are awesome at avoiding euthanizing healthy dogs, but, often, the only respite the dog gets is to be sent off to another shelter where he may not be so lucky.  My hound was kept in a local pound for five months because the ACO there felt he was too sweet to snuff.  Then, he got a foster home and was turned back to the shelter when the foster mom got a new BF.  Only by extreme luck did we find him just days before he was to have gone to another kill shelter.  He is now a therapy dog.

  Certainly the reason most county dog pounds are high kill and aren't active at promoting adoption can be budgetary. And the reason the funds aren't there for such programs is that traditionally the pound's job is to "dispose of" unwanted animals - not to find them new homes but to make sure they aren't roaming the streets and causing problems for humans. That doesn't really have anything to do with the supposed "overpopulation" or because there are no homes available - which is the reason generally given for why dogs are killed in shelters.